The present invention relates to forms for the pouring of concrete or the like, and more particularly to improvements in so-called climbing forms. Climbing forms are utilized for the pouring of arcuate or flat concrete walls, and they are designed in such a way that a crane or an analogous lifting machine can raise the assembled forms when the pouring of a particular section of a wall is completed so that the raised forms are in a proper position for the pouring or otherwise forming of the next-higher section or sections of the wall. By way of example, such climbing forms can be used for the pouring of a cylindrical wall which forms part of a large outdoor tank or an analogous vessel. The invention also relates to self-climbing forms which are designed for movement to different levels without assistance from a crane or the like.
It is already known to assemble climbing forms in such a way that the boarding which is normally adjacent to the cavity into which concrete is poured can be moved away from the freshly formed wall in order to provide room for workmen who are in charge of cleaning the boarding preparatory to movement of climbing forms to a different level. Such forms further comprise a working platform which is mounted on a frame. The frame is separably attached to the wall so that it can be detached when the material of the wall has set and preparatory to movement of the climbing forms to a different level or to the ground. As a rule, the frame includes several elongated carriers extending at right angles to the outer side of the wall and connectable to anchors which are embedded in the material of the wall. Reference may be had to German Pat. No. 22 17 584 and to German Offenlegungsschrift No. 24 45 383. The boarding of the climbing forms which are disclosed in these publications is movable along the carriers of the frame for the working platform so as to provide space between the boarding and the freshly poured and hardened section of the wall. The space is needed in order to enable the workmen to gain access to the inner side of the boarding, namely, to that side which was in contact with the material of the wall. In other words, the carriers of the frame for the working platform perform several functions, namely, they reinforce or stiffen the frame for the platform and they guide the boarding during movement toward and away from the adjacent side of the wall. A drawback of such climbing forms is that the platform must be provided with openings for the understructure or carriage of the boarding, i.e., the openings are needed in order to enable the carriage to engage and to move along the carriers which are disposed at a level below the panels of the platform. The openings in the platform represent a danger to the workmen and they also permit substances or objects (such as cleaning media, heavy tools, bricks and pieces of lumber) to flow or fall to the ground with attendant danger to the persons or equipment therebelow. Furthermore, the workmen on the platform must be on guard, at all times, for the presence of such openings; this interferes with their work.
Another drawback of the just discussed conventional climbing forms is that they are invariably restricted to use in connection with the erection of straight or flat walls. This is due to the fact that the aforediscussed carriers extend at right angles to the outer sides of the walls. If the outer side of a wall is convex, the radially outwardly extending carriers cannot properly guide a boarding or the carriage for a boarding which must be moved toward and away from the convex side of the wall. The reason for placing the carriers at right angles to the wall, i.e., radially of an arcuate wall whose outer side is convex, is that the carriers are attached to anchors which, in order to ensure that they be properly embedded in the material of the wall, must extend at right angles to the outer side of the wall.